Afghanistan’s Winter – a Looming Crisis in a Stricken Land

Kabul, Afghanistan, October 16, 2008 –(PR.com)– Last winter was the harshest in living memory, thousands died, mostly children. A spokesman for the National Disaster Management Commission, said the death of 316,000 livestock exacerbated the peasant’s extreme poverty.

Mahboba’s Promise Inc., an Australian / Afghan NGO, is one organisation working hard in Afghanistan to minimise the suffering and avoid the tragedy of last year.

This year drought, food shortages and civil unrest have left the Afghan people more vulnerable than ever.

The Executive Director of Mahboba’s Promise in Afghanistan, Sidiq Rawi, says the situation is critical.

“Winter is always harsh, but this year high prices and insecurity have promoted shortages, there is no wood, no gas, no food, no water. People will search the streets for rubbish to burn to warm up. I saw a woman who had collected old shoes to burn and the toxic fumes poisoned her and her children.”

He says the people require necessities for life.

“They lack warm clothes and shoes. Kids walk with bare feet in the ice, then they lose their toes. Those who live in the hills have to walk for miles in the snow every day for access to clean water.”

Mahboba’s Promise was started by Mahboba Rawi, a refugee from Afghanistan and now an Australian citizen. Ms Rawi started the organisation to help widows and orphans in Afghanistan. During winter every year Mahboba’s Promise raises money in a Winter Appeal to help the desperate and impoverished.

To avert a humanitarian crisis action needs to be taken now before extreme weather comes making much of the country inaccessible.

“People become isolated in remote areas due to snow and ice. We need to help before the snow falls, but nothing is happening – nobody is doing anything. When people begin to die then it is too late. We need to act now.”

Afghan Relief Development officials say the situation is aggravated by the heightened insecurity making it difficult for Aid workers to reach those in need. Aid workers have become the targets of increasing attacks and a record number have been killed this year. The dangers have restricted the scale and scope of aid operations.

Mahboba’s Promise is run by Afghans with local knowledge of culture and language who can operate under the most difficult circumstances. It provides a life line for many deemed unreachable by other NGOs.

Photographs Available.

For more information visit www.mahbobaspromise.org or call Mahboba Rawi – 02 9887 1665 / 0402 145 017

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